Aftermath
by Demonhedgehog
Summary: "I really don't know what it is with you and my eyebrows. I suppose I should have recognized you the moment you started yelling about them." Ryūko was too busy chuckling to respond.


We're all dying to know what's going through their heads after _that_ revelation, so I wrote this. Also I felt a need for fluff.

* * *

The first thing Satsuki became aware of when she regained consciousness was the faint snoring coming from her left. She forced herself to open her eyes and turn her aching head and locked eyes with Ryūko Matoi.

"You're awake," Ryūko said awkwardly. Satsuki raised an eyebrow at this obvious statement before turning her attention to their surroundings. The dingy tin shack indicated that they were in the slums, a fact supported by the scruffy mattress the two- no- the three of them lay on. The source of the snoring was Mako Mankanshoku, latched firmly onto Ryūko's other side and slumbering peacefully. They were all in pyjamas, although Satsuki did not recognise the ones she wore.

Ryūko caught her attention again. "What's the last thing you remember?" Satsuki frowned.

"I remember getting myself knocked unconscious by my mother." She really had only herself to blame there, she'd bolted at Ragyō in blind anger once she'd moved to finish Ryūko off.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it. You blocked that hit for me and saved my ass. Then Mako saved it again." Ryūko smiled fondly at the mention of her best friend, as she always did. "People underestimate Mako, but those speeches of hers can throw anyone for a loop. By the time she finished, I snapped out of my shock, grabbed you and started running. Senketsu managed to make enough steam for us to escape through. Then Mako found some of her brother's friends and beat them up until they stopped leering at us and gave us this place to stay in. We also stopped off at home to grab some clothes, I'm sure Mako's mom won't mind us borrowing her pyjamas. You can wear those during the day." Ryūko pointed at a pile of clothes next to her kamui, the clothes she had first worn to Honnōji Academy.

"You're taking all this surprisingly calmly," Satsuki noted.

"You were out for a while. I've had some time to think about it. You know, all those times I wished I knew my mother, this is not what I meant," Ryūko smiled humourlessly.  
"And what of me?"

"Still working that one out. Oh yeah, I meant to ask…" Ryūko reached behind the mattress and picked up a flash drive. She'd found it in Satsuki's bra while she and Mako tended to her injuries. "What's this?"

Satsuki mentally kicked herself for failing to notice it was gone, but outwardly betrayed no emotion. "Just some important things, in case a situation like this occurs."

"What kind of things are we talking here?" When Ryūko received no answer she only wanted to know more. "I mean, if you're that intent on hiding it I'm just going to assume it's porn so…" Satsuki rolled her eyes. Immaturity aside, she supposed Matoi of all people had the right to know.

"If it will placate you, I will let you look."

"Good thing Matarō's cronies found a computer." Ryūko slipped out from under the tattered blanket and from Mako's grip, putting a pillow in there instead in a motion that looked smooth and practiced. The sleeping girl appeared none the wiser. As Ryūko stood up Satsuki could see the bandage peeking out from under her top, from where she'd had her heart ripped out. It was somewhat reassuring to see that she could not heal as fast as Ragyō, she was still too human. Ryūko extended a hand and helped Satsuki painfully to her feet and over to the monitor, where they sat down on uncomfortably hard chairs.

Upon inserting the drive, Ryūko found herself disappointed in the various documents about the academy, Nudist Beach and Covers, it was either boring or stuff she already knew. But eventually her eye was drawn to a video file, the only one without an organisation name attached to it. "What's that?"

Satsuki sighed; of course she'd notice that one. "It's… old security footage from the Kiryūin Manor. Most of the rooms have cameras in them to catch anyone attempting to infiltrate the labs. This is from the night my- when you were born." Ryūko's eyes widened in response. "We have actually met once before." Satsuki hesitated before continuing. "Do you want to watch it?" Ryūko nodded.

The footage lacked audio but it was clear enough that the infant Ryūko was crying. The older baby in the crib next to hers evidently grew tired of the noise and climbed in next to her to investigate. Ryūko felt a bit strange seeing the iron willed Satsuki Kiryūin as a tubby little one year old, especially interacting with her baby self. Said baby stopped crying immediately upon seeing Satsuki's face, instead staring with wonder and lifting her arms. Ryūko snorted with laugher when the baby began to pet Satsuki's eyebrows, prominent even then. Satsuki gave a long suffering sigh.

"I really don't know what it is with you and my eyebrows. I suppose I should have recognised you the moment you started yelling about them." Ryūko was too busy chuckling to respond. After a while baby Ryūko yawned and fell asleep, Satsuki soon following and wrapping her arms around the smaller girl.

"That was the first time we met, and the last night before the experiment." Ryūko was startled by the strain in Satsuki's voice, but said nothing. "When Soroi showed me this footage, I wished so badly that my little sister had survived. I told myself I would have protected her, from our mother and the life fibres." Satsuki stood with clenched fists, looking away from Ryūko. "And when we finally met again, I had you beaten half to death on a daily basis, I turned your only friend against you, I exploited you to test the strength of my academy-" Satsuki's rising distress spurred Ryūko into doing something impulsive and potentially stupid, she grabbed her older sister's shoulder, turned her around and threw her arms around her waist.

"Yeah, you did. And we still lost. But do you think we would have even survived if you hadn't?" Ryūko was certain it was just fatigue that led to this crisis of confidence, but she still felt the need to reassure her. Blushing heavily at this unexpected heart-to-heart, she kept her face planted above Satsuki's chest, not looking her in the eye.

After a few seconds of paralysation, Satsuki remembered to breathe and carefully returned the hug. The closest thing she'd ever had to this was little Nonon back in kindergarten, certainly never with a family member. Wasn't this what she'd wished for all these years? A surge of protective instinct shot through her, and she tightened her grip, resting her head on top of her younger sister's.

Ryūko thought about the difference between this and her hugs with Mako. With Mako she was the strong one, the protector, a feeling she loved. But this new position of being held… she found she enjoyed that too.

They remained like that for a while; neither of them felt inclined to move. But eventually they succumbed to exhaustion and trudged back to bed. They both knew that they were nowhere near being a happy family, but it was a start.

"Night, Satsuki."

"Goodnight, Ryūko."

* * *

I'm not sure how true that height difference is, but I like to think Satsuki's taller.

Thanks for reading, tell me what you think :)


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